Trial for Marshfiled Man Accused of Planning to Kill Doctors Continues
Thursday, May 30th, 2013 -- 11:21 AM
-Jurors are expected to begin deliberation today in the case involving the Marshfield man that allegedly plotted to kill doctors performing abortions at a Planned Parenthood Clinic.In May of 2010, Ralph Lang, age 64, told officials that he had come to Madison with the intention of killing the doctors performing abortions at the clinic. He had been arrested after one of his guns went off in a hotel room. No one was hurt when it happened.
Lang is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Lang has also been charged in federal court with attempting to injure people participating in a federally funded program. His attorneys argue that charge should be tossed because even though Planned Parenthood receives federal funds, that money can't be used to provide abortions under current law.
Prosecutors rested their case against Lang on Wednesday, just a few hours after opening statements were heard.
At the end of the prosecutor?s case, Lang?s lawyer, Eric Schulenburg, asked Judge Nicholas McNamara to dismiss the case because he claimed the testimony hadn?t proved Lang had attempted to kill anyone as defined by law and by jury instructions.
But, Judge McNamara said a reasonable jury could conclude that a number of actions taken by Lang could be considered acts toward an attempt.
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